Sofrapack, a packaging company from Bonneuil sur Marne in France, has developed a form of corrugated packing that effectively replaces the use of wooden cases or crates for export packing. The containers can even be used as lift vans or as warehouse pallets.
The company manufactures a range of lift vans, air freight cases and custom cases for motor cycles, TVs, pianos and pictures, etc., all made from heavy duty corrugated cardboard. The cases are simple to assemble, can be reused multiple times and easily waterproofed by plastic wrapping. Using cardboards avoids the need for wooden cases to be fumigated on arrival in accordance with the ISPM15 Standard.
Cases can be assembled without any tools and are merely strapped together with a bander. They are lightweight, recyclable and provide damping against shocks that the manufacturer says is 50% better than timber. Cases can be stored in shook form to save space. Special cases can be supplied with hanging bars for packing chandeliers or with dividers for packing multiple pictures in one box. Lift vans fit into a standard ISO container.
Sofrapack also supplies Pleatwrap, which is similar to a paper blanket but on a continuous 80m long x 1.2m wide roll. The company says this is strong, ecological, easy to use and easy to store when compared with standard paper blankets or bubble wrap.
More information from: www.sofrapack.com
Photos: The cases use heavy duty corrugated cardboard instead of wood.